A nurse is collecting data from a newborn who has respiratory distress syndrome and is experiencing respiratory acidosis. Which of the following risk factors predisposes the newborn to respiratory difficulties?

Choice A reason:

Injury sustained to the perineum during birth is not a perinatal injury, but a perineal injury. The perineum is the area between the anus and the genitals, and it can be torn or cut during vaginal delivery. This is a common complication that affects the mother, not the fetus or newborn.

Choice B reason:

Traumatic injury to the mother during pregnancy is not a perinatal injury, but a maternal injury. This can occur due to accidents, violence, or complications of pregnancy such as preeclampsia or placental abruption. This can affect the mother's health and well-being, and may also have consequences for the fetus or newborn.

Choice C reason:

Traumatic injury to a fetus is not a perinatal injury, but a fetal injury. This can occur due to external forces such as blunt trauma, penetrating trauma, or radiation exposure that affect the fetus in utero. This can cause fetal distress, bleeding, fractures, or organ damage.

Choice D reason:

Injury sustained surrounding birth is a perinatal injury. This occurs in the period shortly before, during, or after delivery. This can be a critical time when the baby has to transition from surviving off oxygen, blood, and nutrients from the mother to separating from the womb and breathing oxygen from the air. Perinatal injuries can include head injuries, nerve injuries, hemorrhages, fractures, or soft-tissue injuries that result from the forces of labor and delivery or medical interventions such as forceps or vacuum extraction. Perinatal injuries can lead to long-term neurodevelopmental challenges for the newborn.

Choice A reason:

Uterine atony is the failure of the uterus to contract and retract after delivery, which can lead to excessive bleeding and hemorrhage. It is the most common cause of postpartum hemorrhage, accounting for up to 80 percent of cases. Risk factors for uterine atony include large or multiple babies, prolonged or rapid labor, overdistended uterus, use of oxytocin or magnesium sulfate during labor, and previous history of uterine atony.

Choice B reason:

Puerperal infection is an infection of the reproductive tract that occurs within six weeks after delivery. It can affect the uterus (endometritis), the bladder (cystitis), the kidneys (pyelonephritis), the breast (mastitis), or the wound (cesarean section or episiotomy).

Symptoms include fever, chills, malaise, foul-smelling lochia, pelvic pain, and wound redness or drainage. Risk factors for puerperal infection include cesarean delivery, prolonged rupture of membranes, prolonged labor, multiple vaginal examinations, retained placental fragments, and poor hygiene.

Choice C reason:

Retained placental fragments are pieces of the placenta that remain in the uterus after delivery. They can cause postpartum hemorrhage, infection, or delayed involution of the uterus. Symptoms include heavy or prolonged bleeding, fever, abdominal pain, and an enlarged uterus. Risk factors for retained placental fragments include placenta previa, placenta accrete, manual removal of the placenta, and incomplete examination of the placenta after delivery.

Choice D reason:

Thrombophlebitis is the inflammation and clotting of a vein, usually in the legs or pelvis. It can cause pain, swelling, redness, and warmth in the affected area. It can also lead to pulmonary embolism if the clot breaks off and travels to the lungs. Risk factors for thrombophlebitis include pregnancy and the postpartum period, cesarean delivery, obesity, smoking, dehydration, immobility, varicose veins, and inherited or acquired clotting disorders.